Eagletarian Blog

Updated: The Eagles ended up drafting 11 players, three on the offensive line, three linebackers, a couple running backs, a safety, a corner and a kicker.

Not quite what we'd expected, especially the part about no defensive linemen.

Earlier: With their first pick of the fifth round, 149th overall, the Eagles took Pitt running back Dion Lewis, kind of a Shady McCoy Mini-me. Lewis, recruited to Pitt by McCoy, he said, is listed at 5-7, 195.

After the pick, McCoy tweeted: "So ANDY really listen to my advice."

Lewis noted the Eagles like to use their backs for screens. "I'm the type of back who can do some of the same things" as McCoy, he said. Lewis is the first guy the Birds have taken in this draft who was actually pegged a little higher than he went. He acknowledged he "had high hopes" after leaving Pitt following his sophomore year, having set a freshman-soph school record with 2,860 rushing yards.

He doesn't turn 21 until Sept. 27. (No truth to the rumor he is actually Danny Watkins' son.)

Lewis said he hasn't talked to McCoy yet today, but feels "he's going to be able to help me out, help me get used to some things.

The Eagles traded their next pick, 153 in the fifth, plus a seventh-rounder (227) for 161 in the fifth and 194 in the sixth, from the Jets.

With that 161 pick in the fifth, the Eagles took Julian Vandervelde, a 6-2, 300-pound guard from Iowa. Hard to believe the choice didn't have something to do with former offensive line coach and curent d-coordinator Juan Castillo having a son at Iowa, cornerback Greg Castillo. Juan watches himself some Hawkeyes.

Vandervelde, a high school teammate of the Eagles' Austin Howard, has sung the National Anthem for Iowa appearances by President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"Hopefully, my football career will be able to overshadow the singing career," he said in a conference call after the pick was made.

Still not a single D lineman for the Birds. Guess that Phillip Hunt guy, the DE from the CFL the Eagles signed, must really be all that.

At 191, in the sixth, the Eagles took Jason Kelce, a center-guard from Cincinnati. At 193 -- the Eag;les traded up from 194, swapping with the Patriots ject because they like to do deals with the Pats, it seems -- the Birds drafted linebacker Brian Rolle, from Ohio State.

Two seventh-rounders to go, unless Trader Howie finds a way to stockpile some more.

Stay tuned.

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To read our earlier post from today about the selections of Casey Matthews and kicker Alex Henery, click here.